851G.01/6–2149
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs (Landon)
| Participants: | H. R. H. Prince Wan Waithayakon, Thai Ambassador |
| Mr. Kenneth P. Landon, Assistant Chief, SEA |
The Thai Ambassador called by invitation and I informed him of our thinking in regard to the March 8 agreements between Emperor Bao Dai and the French Government and our hope that the experiment would be given every opportunity to succeed. I gave the Ambassador a copy of a press release to be issued on June 211 in regard to the [Page 63] new developments, and expressed the hope that his government would also feel as we did that the agreements marked a step in the right direction toward a solution of the troubles in Indochina, and that it would make a public statement of its own which would offer some encouragement and express sympathetic interest in the success of the agreements.
The Ambassador said that he and his government did not have the full text of the agreements but that they were in general sympathy with them and were especially encouraged by one provision that France would propose the newly formed state of Viet Nam for membership in the United Nations. He assured me that he would convey the information to his government but made it clear that he was uncertain whether his government would be willing to take a public stand at this time.2
- For text of press release issued at noon, June 21, on “new unified state of Vietnam”, see Department of State Bulletin, July 18, 1949, p. 75.↩
- The foregoing was reported in telegram 355, June 22, 6 p. m., to Bangkok; in telegram 105, June 22, 5 p. m., to Saigon, the Department stated as follows: “Shld you be queried by press, you may point out US statement does not constitute recognition of any sort and indeed no Govt was in existence when statement was issued June 21 which cld be recognized. Pls inform Hanoi.” (851G.01/6–2249, 6–2149)↩